So...whats for dinner?
Comments
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Hi everyone - just a quick check-in. I am doing just fine, thanks everyone for thinking of me. We had 9 people on Thursday, our daughter and grandkids spent the night, they left Friday except our granddaughter who stayed with us. Our friends Ann and Jack came yesterday afternoon and we went to dinner with them and then took our granddaughter for ice cream. And then there is today...
Up to 21 people - family and friends will be arriving on and off this afternoon. Supposedly, everyone will be self-sufficient and I won't have to do a whole lot. I'm not cooking anything. I'll rinse some cherries, cut up some watermelon and assemble a caprese salad. And make sure we have plenty of paper plates, cups, napkins, plastic silverware, and condiments. And oh, yes, it's my son-in-law's mom's birthday today. So someone is bringing cake. LOL, what was I thinking??? And it's supposed to be 99 today (it was 103 yesterday!!!).
And oh complications, granddaughter just woke up to a soaked bed. Yuck, my fault, forgot about a pullup and didn't see the one that daughter left in a bin in the guest room. So that cleanup is underway. I think I'll be doing a big fat nothing tomorrow!
OK, got to wash the little princess so I'd better go. Have a grand day, everyone!
Michelle
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Hi dinner pals! I've been bad about checking in, but I just wanted to pop in and say hello!
One of my favorite pasta salads to make in the summer is this:
Cooked orzo
grape tomatoes
diced cucumber
diced red pepper
diced red onion
sliced black olives
feta cheese
italian dressing to taste
fresh basil
I hope everyone is doing well!
Sherrill
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OMG, they are all gone (ended up with 17) and I am now a couch potato! Actually, it was fun and everyone pitched in. Tomorrow will be R&R and eating the ton of leftovers that I inherited. Plus our friends brought us two freezer meals of chicken parmesan and stuffed shells from Angelo's (I think they are in Milton, MA).
I'll be in bed early tonight!
Sherrill - Pasta salad using orzo sounds really good!
Teka - sounds like you've got a very productive garden!
Seaside - congrats on your "new arrivals"
Hope everyone is staying cool. The lake water temp is quite nice. Joyce - our pool in Missouri routinely got up to 90. It was like having a giant hot tub! Relief from the heat is arriving overnight - should be just mid-80's tomorrow.
Michelle
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BOBOLI: Green peppers from the garden + fresh basil + chicken sausage + eggplant + mozzarella pearls + red pepper flakes + tomato sauce
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Michelle- Wow- you had a a huge few days, and with all the good food you have now, hopefully you can relax and not have to cook, and hopefully you will SLEEP! I feel like a wimp compared to you, i was no where near that active, im sure thats helping you though. Sweet Dreams.
Sherrill- Good to see you posting again, your salad sounds so good and healthy, thanks for sharing!
Moogie- Your Boboli sounds great- YUM!
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Debbie - yes, SLEEP! It was nice to be able to sleep until 7 this morning, it's not happening that often! I do find that living my life as normally as possible is helping me get through this, helping the days pass by as quickly as possible. I'm not avoiding anything or anyone except obviously sick people. My family knows not to visit if they are not feeling well; otherwise, it's pretty much an open invitation. I guess I'm making up for lost time, especially with the grandkids!
We have a whole lot of nothing planned for today! I have enough leftovers so there will be no need to think about cooking anything but a burger or chicken cutlet. All the sides are sitting there ready for consumption. My SIL commented that our fridge had more food than theirs (for 5 people)...lol. But then, my daughter is a bit like Mother Hubbard and the cupboards are often bare. She finds taking 3 kids to the grocery store understandably a bit overwhelming.
So my tummy issues are still there but I have found how to avoid problems by going with non-acidic things, juicy fruits and non-carbonated beverages. Luckily, most proteins are just fine and, of course, ice cream is very soothing.
LOL...hubby just announced that we are going to a restaurant that has the "best breakfast in NH"...Sammy J's in Salem. He googled "best breakfast in Salem" and then checked Trip Advisor. That's too funny...actually I am a "Destination Expert" for Trip Advisor (a volunteer thing) and respond to people's inquiries about where to stay and eat, what to do in the KC area. It's a fun thing for me and keeps me "involved" - haha - like I need more things to do!
Well, I guess I'd better go jump in the shower!
Hope everyone has a great Sunday!
Michelle
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I am back from breakfast and I must say it was really, really good. This is our first restaurant breakfast so I can't say it's the best in town. But it was amazing, and the home fries were the best we've ever had. DH doesn't usually eat them, but he savored every bite. They were red potatoes and I think they were cooked in bacon fat (yeah, that would make them tasty!) with pieces of bacon accompanying the potatoes. I had eggs benedict with asparagus and tomatoes, and the eggs were poached perfectly. The restaurant is a breakfast place in the morning and an ice cream shop after noon, a very interesting concept. For you locals, it's called Sammy J's and it's on Main St. I took home half the benedict, so I've got breakfast for tomorrow!
Really enjoying the peace and quiet this morning. DH is napping - resting up so he can play golf later...lol, I'm sitting outside, just read the paper and now doing my "net" stuff. I intend to write a blog entry today about living life to the fullest, every day in every way. I think I've got something to say about that
Michelle
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Michelle,
Sounds you like you are having a really nice Sunday!!!
Funny that you mentioned Eggs Benedict as my husband and I were just talking about how we really good it is but, that we never make it because we can't ever seem to get the eggs right... I found this amazon.com/Fusionbrands-Poach-Pods-Set-Green/dp/B000P6FD3I and may go ahead and order them... They pretty inexpensive and the reviews were really good!
Hope your husband doesn't melt out on the course this afternoon!
Edited to add.... Breakfast in the morning and ice cream in the afternoon... can't go wrong there!! LOL
Enjoy the peace! And, yes.... I believe you DO have thing or two to say about living your life to the fullest!!!!0 -
Sherrill,
Glad to hear from you!!! I really do love orzo in a salad... Somehow seems lighter than other cuts of pasta... I make Giada's Tri-Colore Orzo salad all the time... So light and fresh!!
Moogie,
Welcome.... That Boboli sounds really good.... I think we will be doing a grilled pizza sometime this week with chicken sausage that I have frozen... Just need to figure out what other toppings but, like your idea of eggplant! They looke so good in the store last time I was there!
Teka,
How do you prepare your green beans and potatoes with milk? Do you simmer them in the milk? I have been picking green beans this week from my garden and would love some ideas! We had Paula Dean's Fancy Green Beans last night and boy were they good! Of course you could saute a shoe in bacon fat and it would taste GREAT! LOL
Debbie,
How's your weekend going?? Hope you all are staying cooler out there on the west coast!!
Laurie....
Haven't heard from you in awhile! Hope all is OK! Pretty new picture of you!0 -
Teka,
Thanks.... One last question.... Any idea about how much milk? Just a bit? Or is it supposed to be more like a soup? My beans (also bush beans) are doing really well.... My beets.... well not so much! I think it just got too hot for them.... They never filled out! The greens were good though! Going to try again in a couple weeks or so hoping for a fall crop! We'll see!
This is all new to me. Last year was my first year so I am learning as I go!0 -
Hi everyone! Well, hubby napped and then left for golf. In the meantime I got a call from my niece who wanted to come to the lake with her 13-month-old daughter, Isabelle. I had invited her for Saturday, but she had to work. So she came over and we just hung out and played in the water. I didn't have the heart to say no, and I am glad she came by, she is a bit lonely and doesn't have a good relationship with her mom. I've been reconnecting with her since we moved back and I enjoyed having the both of them here.
Everyone's garden results sounds good. No garden here except for a big pot of basil, chives, parsley, rosemary and thyme. We have no grass, not one blade...lol and no dirt. There is very nice landscaping and the "mulch" is rocks. Nothing to mow, weed or otherwise tend. The people to our right have nice grass, so I just gaze at it when I need a grass fix!
I don't think Laurie will mind me saying this...she sent me a PM because she was coming to my little "party" tomorrow night but then remembered that her DH is on vacation this week and they were going to the lake for a couple of days. I am guessing that might have included the weekend. So we probably won't here from her until mid-week.
Michelle
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Michelle,
That's RIGHT!! I forgot all about the party tomorrow!!
I WISH i lived closer and could make it! You will have a blast, I'm sure.... Can't wait to hear about it!
Who needs grass when you have a lovely lake as your backyard.... I'd take it! Interestingly enough, I grew herbs in pots on my deck for years before we put in our garden last year (was supposed to be the year before but, that was the year I was diagnosed).... I think they actually did better in the pots than they are doing in the actual ground this year! Go figure!
Thanks for the info on Laurie.... I think it may just be my 'Mom' genes but, i get worried a bit when we haven't heard from some of the 'regulars' in awhile...lol0 -
Michelle-We have a place here that serves the best eggs benedict with crab and a hollindaise sauce that is out of this world, they are so busy they close at 3 pm havnt been there in awhile but hubbies day off tomorrow i think i will ask him to take me there, you had me drolling over yours. Thanks for letting us know about laurie i was wondering about where she was too.
Seaside- The weather is perfect here, its right around 70% if you go inland a few miles its around 87% I cant take the heat like i used to, i used to be a sun bunny but now i love the cooler weather- You all can come stay here anytime you like and get out of the heat!
Oh i forgot to add have fun tomorrow on your party michelle!
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So jealous of you with the gardens! I have to rely on the kindness of friends. LOL Also, good to know that everyone isn't experiencing this horrible heat and humidity that we've had. At least I was down the shore where ht heat and humidity is not nearly as bad. But we had thunder storms two days and got kicked off the beach!
Was in Ocean City, MD, and came back with some Maryland crabs that we had for dinner today with a spinach salad. It was good! Crabs are one of my favorite foods, especially when I haven't had them for a year! I am also going to try that pasta salad. Thanks for posting the recipe.
My last chemo is tomorrow! Yay, it has been a long time coming. I started 3/21. Will be so good to be done.
Have a great evening everyone! Stay cool!
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Kay,
Glad to hear that you had a good time in Ocean City.... We just got back from NC last weekend.... It was just crazy hot there but, I agree.... something about that ocean breeze doesn't make it seem so hot as when I'm home! And, yeah for crab..... Nothing like Maryland crab!
Wishing you nothing but comforting thoughts and best wishes for a non-eventful and side-effect free last chemo... I'm sure you are looking forward to having that chapter behind you!
Thinking of you tomorrow!0 -
Debbie,
I am with you on the heat..... Back in the day you couldn't get it hot enough outside for me.... Now days, i see a picture of the sun and I'm breaking out in a sweat!! Gee..... Thanks Tamoxifen!
We finally got air conditioning in our house 3 years ago and, I must say.... it was a very good investment!0 -
Teka,
Thanks.... Going to give that whirl with my next batch of beans!0 -
Kay - congrats on finishing chemo, you must be so excited. Wishing you smooth sailing!!! And I've had crab benedict a few times, yummm! I also love crabcakes, crab cocktail, crab dip, crab legs, crab anything!!!
Michelle
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Kay- Yay on the last chemo!! Hope everything goes smooth for you, will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
Seaside- We are just renting because we didnt know if we were going to stay or not and we dont have airconditioning, they told us we dont need it because it dosnt get hot enough here, this house is brand new so evidently they never stayed here, it gets hot in the house almost 80-90 degrees in our bedroom, if we ever rent again or when we buy a house i will never ever get one with out a airconditioner- Yes, thanks tamoxifen LOL!
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Oh Debbie, get yourself an air conditioner for your bedroom! They are not that expensive, and there are some "European" style units that are supposedly very efficient. Sleeping in an 80-90 degree bedroom is unbearable!!!
The heat has broken here - it's 67 this morning and may reach 80. I hope the chance of late afternoon storms doesn't happen. That will mess up my little party! I'd hate to have to sit indoors, that would be sad.
Michelle
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Yellow crook neck squash, mashed with margerine salt and pepper from the garden. Gotta eat em up. I feel like Lucy in the candy factory.
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The heat here is not giving up, the yard is totally dead, had to mow yesterday just to get the weeds down...they dont give in, ugh. A great dear friend gave me peppers, cucumbers, yellow and zucchini from her garden yesterday. She is so amazing, no kids, and she grows a huge garden to share with everyone. She also made me some zucchini bread that I am having for bkfst. This week sometime the girls are gonna get together and make some dill pickles with the cucumbers,,,,ummm might be some wine drinking along with our hard work. LOL
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I know some of you are following my blog, but for those who aren't, I have a new entry that I hope inspires you to live life to the fullest. Well, actually, I think most of you are already doing exactly that!
www.mch-breastcancer.blogspot.com
I have a friend who just received some devastatingly bad news regarding her health, and it inspired me to state my thoughts about living life to the fullest. This post will help you understand why I do what I do.
Enjoy life today, friends!
Michelle
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Good morning ladies- I am so bored with the same old meals week after week. We eat alot of chicken and I think I have finally run out of ways to prepare plain old chicken breast. Any suggestions?
Teka- think I will try the green bean recipe- we just pulled the last of them from the garden. We water and water, but everything is drying up or the raccoons are eating whats left!
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Joyce - I'm doing the "no rain" dance right now. It wouldn't dare rain on my parade!!! I got a PM from Susan and she's not feeling well enough to make it, so it looks like it will be the "K's" and the "H's" this time. We'll have to try this again in the early fall when people are not quite so busy.
See you later!
Michelle
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I have a toxic sister.. I've had for 50 years. I try to be loving and supportive but sometimes you just have to say.. please no eva - drama today and walk away.
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Thanks Teka! I have all that on hand- I will try it this evening and report back!!
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Hi Tif!!! Are you still melting out there? I'm not sure it was ever so hot for so long in the 17 years I lived in Blue Springs! I think the first or second year there were quite a few days over 100, but nothing like what's happening this year. I remember a couple years ago we had just a few days over 90, the weather is so bizarre these days!
Ok, some chicken ideas...chicken stir fry with whatever veggies you like. I take a small can of pineapple and add it, reserving the juice to use with cornstarch and soy sauce to make a sauce. Serve over brown rice. Add some cashews or peanuts for some extra crunch and protein.
Chicken satay (I think Lago posted a recipe a few pages back, and also included a peanut sauce).
Beer can chicken - but you could drink the beer
and then fill that can with anything...apple juice would be good.Grilled pizza with chicken, artichokes, and a garlicky white sauce.
Chicken marsala, chicken piccata, chicken parmesan (I make my coating with everything bagel crumbs and lots of shredded parmesan...makes for a crispy coating that stands up to the sauce)
Chicken Carciofi - there is a restaurant on the square in Independence called Cafe Verona. They make this dish and I imitated it as best I could. Saute very lightly breaded chicken strips (or don't bother with the breading) in olive oil. Add capers, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, a little white wine, salt, pepper and parsley. Sometimes I add a can of cannelini beans (white kidney beans) and make it more of a ragout. At Cafe Verona they serve it with a side of linguine with a creamy red sauce. Very yummy! I do this totally by feel for two people, so I can't provide specific measurements.
Marinate chicken pieces in Italian dressing in a plastic bag, the longer the better. Add more garlic because you can never have too much garlic (yeah, you probably already know this, but I didn't want to leave any stone unturned...lol).
Well, hopefully that will get your juices flowing!
Michelle
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Teka
Recipe thanks to Gramma! She sliced and boiled them then mashed them up, let water drain out and put lots of butter on., salt and pepper. Yum eat em up.
Also loved her sour cream or yogurt sliced cucumbers and onions with salt and pepper
Too bad I don't have gooseberries for her gooseberry pie.
Hey, I have all your ingrediants too! Thanks! I'll try it!
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Yes, Seaside, for some reason orzo pasta salad feels a little lighter than other shapes of pasta!
Husband is out at a work dinner (again), so tonight I am making myself this variation of a pizza that I made a few weeks ago:
In food processer, blend avocado, cilantro and lime juice (I also added a small clove of garlic)
Spread on whole wheat pita rounds or small prepared pizza crust
Top with cubed, cooked chicken, halved grape tomatoes, and monterey jack cheese
Broil until cheese melts. Very yummy!
I hope you all have fun getting together tonight!
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